The world of grevilleas is an ever changing and exciting one. This year has welcomed a new series of this colorful Protea family member: the Kings series. This group includes two red-flowering varieties, G. ‘Kings Celebration’ and G. ‘Kings Fire’; and a unique bicolored yellow and red variety appropriately named grevillea ‘Kings Rainbow.’

Grevillea ‘Kings Fire’ (PP27,875) displays the slender, dissected leaves common to this series. Open branching, soft grayish-green leaves and white stems all combine to form a shrub 6 feet high and wide. Beginning in the fall, 5-inch-long bottlebrush-type inflorescences sprout from branch tips, with individual flowers sporting dramatically curved deep red styles and shorter stamen bearing deep red petals. ‘Kings Fire’ has proven to be the strongest bloomer in the series; once established, it’s rarely without flowers.

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Grevillea ‘Rainbow’ (PP27,931) is one of the most unique grevilleas in cultivation. The 3-inch-long inflorescence is composed of rows of golden tepals from which emerge red styles that resemble butterfly antennae. Exotic and dramatic, this variety also blooms over a long period. Deep green needlelike foliage and an upright habit make for an excellent low-maintenance shrub. Like all grevilleas it can take the heat and is drought tolerant, making it an ideal choice for hedges or for use in erosion control on slopes and banks.

Grevillea ‘Kings Celebration’ (patent pending) follows the lead of ‘Rainbow,’ this time offering 4-inch rows of downy-white tepals and the same recurved, dark red styles. Olive-green needles provide a soft backdrop for the explosions of color throughout the year.

One other new grevillea is worth mentioning: Grevillea petrophiloides ‘Pink Pokers’ is one of the few grevilleas out there with cones of fully pink flowers. The 6-inch-long cones are especially wide, and when in full bloom this is one eye-catching species.

The Kings series of grevilleas was bred by and owes its name to Kings Park & Botanic Garden in western Australia.

Cultivation: Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and water sparingly. As with all Protea family members, avoid giving grevilleas any phosphorus. Hardy to 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit.

Availability: Grevilleas begin showing up in most nurseries in late October. Even for grevilleas with a later bloom season, fall is an excellent time to plant them. Most of the varieties will be available in 5-gallon containers.